By mid-August, the 2017 year had recorded more flu notifications across Australia than the previous five years. So why is the flu season so bad this time around?
What can a single person’s flu infection tell you about how the virus changes around the world?
Xue and Bloom
This antivirus software protects health, not computers. Researchers are beginning to combat deadly infections using computer-generated antiviral proteins – a valuable tool to fight a future pandemic.
When resources are scarce, deciding who should be front of the queue for the flu vaccine is an ethical minefield.
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As we head towards flu season, many people are wondering if it's worth getting vaccinated against influenza and if so, when. Here's what you need to know.
After the Spanish flu we didn’t see any new flu strains for forty years. Now novel strains are increasingly popping up.
Carlos Barria/Reuterspics
Most immunisation campaigns continue to primarily focus on infants and children, but almost 4 million Australian adults are not vaccinated against preventable diseases.
Antibiotics are wrongly being prescribed for infections where they won't work and cutting this down could help combat resistance. But change isn't as easy as just providing the means.
Next time just work with your body clock.
Marcos Mesa Sam Wordley
The “common cold” is common, most of us will have at least one or two per year. Despite this, there's a lack of good research looking into it, and ways to prevent and treat it.
The flu vaccine – which prevents one from getting influenza – changes every year, because it is based on the strains of the virus that presented in the previous year.
While studies suggests that cholesterol-lowering statins can make the flu shot less effective, the vaccine remains the best available tool for reducing flu-related complications and death.
Avoiding stress could help stave off the flu.
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